Board Games

ABSTRACT

A board game comprising a playing board having a surface marked with an array of vertical and horizontal rows of abutting squares, each square having a number marked within it and a pack of cards having on one side a plurality of questions and on the other side the answers to those questions, the questions and answers on each individual card of the pack being different from those on each other card but relating to the same subject. The cards may have an axis of symmetry about which they can be folded such that both the questions and the answers on a card can be viewed by the player holding that card but that one or the other of the questions and the answers is concealed from the other players during play. The game may also include a word insertion guide.

This invention relates to board games and more particularly to crosswordboard games in which players place letters on a playing board to spellout a grid of intersecting words. It provides particularly aneducational board game that can be played by players of any age toincrease their knowledge of a variety of subjects.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

Many crossword games are known in which the players form words fromcards or tiles that have letters depicted on one surface by placing themon a surface such as that of a playing board or a table using one ormore letters of words already formed and displayed on the surface toform a crossword grid. The cards or tiles generally also bear numbersthe magnitude of which depends on the frequency of use of the letter inthe language in which the game is designed to be played, whichdetermines the difficulty of playing a card or tile of high value. Thegame is scored by adding together the values of the cards or tilesforming the new word or words added to the grid in a player's turn. Twosuch games are “Lexicon”, which uses playing cards and which can beplayed on any surface and “Scrabble” which uses tiles and is played on aboard marked with squares in which the tiles are placed and some ofwhich are marked to increase the value of a tile placed on such a squareor the total value of a word, one or more tiles of which are placed onsuch a square or squares.

These games are fun to play and very good for teaching the spelling ofwords but unless a word is challenged and has to be looked up in adictionary the meaning of a word that is not part of the vocabulary ofone or more of the players will not necessarily be learnt. Moreover theeducational part of the games is limited and cannot be extended tosubjects other than spelling.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention provides a board game that not only teaches spelling andthe meaning of words but can also be used to teach many other subjects,for example, mathematics, history, languages, general knowledge andgeography and many other subjects that can be taught by aquestion-and-answer method.

According to the invention a board game comprises a playing board havinga surface marked with an array of vertical and horizontal rows ofabutting squares, each square having a number marked within it and apack of cards, each card having on one side a plurality of questions andon the other side the answers to those questions, the questions andanswers on each individual card of the pack being different from thoseon each other card but relating to the same subject.

The cards may have an axis of symmetry about which they can be foldedsuch that both the questions and the answers on a card can be viewed bythe player holding that card but that one or the other of the questionsand the answers is concealed from the other players during play,

As mentioned the subject dealt with on the playing cards will normallybe spelling and understanding of the meaning of words or phrases and thequestions normally of the form “What is the meaning of . . . ?” or “Whatword or phrase means . . . ?”. Questions of the first type will normallybe given on the outside surface of the folded card with the answer givenon the inside surface but the cards can preferably be folded so thateither surface can be outside. The questions of the second type can beframed from the given answers to the questions of the first type.

Other subjects can dealt with in the game and, for example, historyquestions may be, for example, “In what year did . . . occur?”, in whichcase the game will be a cross-number game, or “What event occurred inthe year . . . ?”. Similar types of question may be formulated for manyother subjects.

The array of squares on the board is preferably rectangular and, morepreferably square and the numbering of the squares is preferablysymmetrical about the central square. The squares are preferably ofvarious colours with the squares of each particular number all being thesame colour since this makes it easier to distinguish between the higherand lower numbered squares.

Preferably the playing surface of the board is divided into zones.

Unlike other crossword types of word game, the answers to the questionsare written directly on the board.

The board preferably has an erasable surface so that it can be writtenon using a suitable writing instrument and wiped clean for re-use. Theboard may, for example, be made wholly of a plastics material or made ofcardboard or other base material with a coating of plastics material onone or both sides. Alternatively, the board may be disposable, forexample, a sheet of paper, so that it can be written on by pen orpencil.

The game preferably also includes a word insertion guide for use withthe board game described and claimed in Patent Application MY 20041148comprises a strip of material having a length at least the width of theplaying area of the playing board and having along one edge portion ofone side a plurality of divisions corresponding to the squares on theplaying board, said edge portion being of transparent material at leastin a strip extending the length of the guide and at least as wide as thesquares on the board and either encompassing or abutting the divisionsand having, at least in said edge portion, a surface that is capable ofbeing written on and subsequently wiped clean.

The game may be played by any number of players singly or in teams.Basically the game consists in a player asking another player or groupof other players a question from a card and if the questioned player orone of the group of players gets the answer correct that player writesthe answer on the board. If no one gets the correct answer thequestioning player writes the answer on the board. In a simplified formof the game, clues such as the initial letter of the required answerand/or the number of letters and words in the required answer may begiven, in addition to the question itself.

Scoring is based on the total of the numbers in the squares used whenthe answer is written on the board. If the board is divided into zonesthe square score may be multiplied by the number of zones occupied byletters of the word.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The invention will now be described in greater detail, by way ofexample, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a view of the playing surface of the game board;

FIGS. 2 and 3 are views of the front and rear surfaces, respectively, ofa playing card; and

FIG. 4 is a view of one form of word insertion guide for use in playingthe game.

As shown in FIG. 1, the game board comprises a square of cardboardhaving a plastics playing surface 1 that can be written on using asuitable ink and later wiped clean.

Playing surface 1 is printed with an array of squares 2 in a square grid3 having 29 squares 2 on each side. Grid 3 is divided into nine zones bybold lines 4, the zones comprising a centre zone 5 consisting of thecentre square 2 only, a first intermediate cruciform zone 6symmetrically surrounding zone 5 and the arms 7 of which are one squarelong and three squares wide, a second intermediate cruciform zone 8symmetrically surrounding zone 6 and the arms 9 of which are two squareslong and seven squares wide, a third intermediate cruciform zone 10symmetrically surrounding zone 8 and the arms 11 of which are threesquares long and thirteen squares wide, and four corner zones 12, 13, 14and 15 that have sides of five squares. A numerical value 16 is allottedto each individual square, the values 16 in each row and column beingarranged symmetrically. The values allotted are 1, 2, 3, 5, 10, 15 and25 and the squares allotted each different value are differentlycoloured.

As shown in FIG. 2, the front of each card has a fold line 21, a printedindication 22 of the nature of the game to be played on one side of foldline 21 and a list of words or phrases 23 on the other side of fold line21.

As shown in FIG. 3 the back of each card has a list 24 of definitions ofthe words in list 23 on the front of the card in the same order as thewords in list 23.

As shown FIG. 4, the word insertion guide comprises a printed strip 1 ofpaper laminated between two thin sheets of clear plastics material 2,which overlap its edges on all four sides. The paper strip 1 is ofmarginally greater length than the width of the largest playing board(not shown) with which it is to be used and is printed along one edgewith divisions 3 the spacing of which correspond to the boundaries ofthe squares on the playing board. The surface of the laminating plasticsmaterial 2 is susceptible to being written on using a pen with asuitable ink and to being wiped clean once the writing is no longerrequired, that is, after a player has had his turn. The surface is alsosmudge resistant to any writing on the board. On its other edge paperstrip 1 is printed with a second set of divisions 4 for use with asmaller playing board. The guide is used by writing a word or phrasethat is intended to be entered in the crossword grid developing on theplaying board on the plastics material 2 with one letter or spacebetween each pair of divisions and then moving the guide about the boardto establish where, if at all, the word or phrase can legally be fittedinto the grid.

The game is preferably marketed in a box containing, in addition to theboard and the pack of question cards, score cards at least some of whichare marked for players 1 to 4 and suitable marker pens.

The following are suggested rules for playing the game.

Section 1-Selecting Player 1

The score cards are shuffled and each player then randomly picks a scorecard. The player who picks the score card for “Player 1” becomesplayer 1. Player 2 is the player sitting next to Player 1 in a clockwisedirection, and so on.

If none of the players picks the score card for “Player 1”, the cardspicked are replaced and the process repeated until one of the playerssuccessfully picks the score card for “Player 1”.

Section 2-Phase 1A of the Game

Phase 1A is not played if there are only two players. Where there aremore than 2 players, phase 1A is played for a total of three (3) rounds.

Player 1 starts as the questioning player (QP). QP takes the topmostcard from the question pack and selects one of the words or phrasesprinted on the back of the card.

QP states aloud 3 clues, that is:

-   -   the first letter of the word or phrase;    -   the number of letters in the word or the number of letters in        each word of the phrase; and    -   the meaning of the word or phrase as found on the inside of the        playing card

To make a call to request the opportunity to answer, a player must statealoud a suitable word or phrase such as “Me!” or “I'll answer, please!”and raise his hand at the same time.

The first player to call shall be the first to answer, the second playerto call shall be the second to answer, and so on. A player may alsoraise his hand to request an opportunity to answer at any time beforethe time period for the other answering players (APs) to complete theirattempt has expired.

Each AP has 30 seconds_to identify the selected word or phrase. An APmay give as many answers as possible within the time limit allowed. AnAP who has already had his turn to answer is not allowed to requestanother attempt.

The first AP to give an answer accepted by the QP is required to writethe word or phrase onto the game board.

If none of the APs is able to give an answer acceptable to the QP, theQP himself is required to write the word or phrase onto the game board.

Players must not state aloud an answer:

-   -   without first having made a call to request the opportunity to        answer within the permitted time period, and    -   without being instructed to do so by the QP.

Any player doing so will be penalized. If the QP deems that animproperly stated answer is in fact the correct answer, all the otherAPs awaiting their turn to answer will also lose their respective turnand the QP will be required to write the word or phrase onto the gameboard himself.

The player required to write the word or phrase onto the game board has90 seconds to do so, failing which, that player will be penalized.

The card just used is then returned to the bottom of the pack.

The player to the left of the incumbent QP then becomes the new QP. Whenall the players have had their turn to be the QP, the round is completedand a new round may begin.

Section 3-Phase 1B of the Game

Phase 1B is played for a total of five (5) rounds in a 2-player game.Where there are more than 2 players, phase 1B is played for a total ofthree (3) rounds.

Phase 1B is similar to phase 1A in almost every respect except that,unlike the first-to-call basis for answering players in Phase 1A, theAPs now answer in rotation (clockwise), with the player to the immediateleft of the QP being the first AP.

Section 4-Phase 2A of the Game

Phase 2A is not played if there are only two players. Where there aremore than 2 players, Phase 2A is played for a total of three (3) rounds.

Phase 2A is played in a very similar manner to Phase 1A where the APsanswer on a first-to-call basis except that the QP, instead of givingclues to the word or phrase selected, states aloud the word or phraseitself. The APs then have to attempt to give the definition of the wordor phrase.

The definition given may be accepted by the QP if he deems that it issufficiently similar to the definition given in the playing card.

Although some words may have several meanings, for the purpose of thegame, the only acceptable meaning is the one which is given in theplaying card in use.

Section 5-Phase 2B of the Game

Phase 2B is played for a total of five (5) rounds in a 2-player game.Where there are more than 2 players, Phase 2B is played for a total ofthree (3) rounds.

Phase 2B is similar to Phase 2A in almost every respect. The maindifference is that, unlike the first-to-call basis for answering playersin Phase 2A, the APs now answer in rotation (clockwise), with the playerto the immediate left of the QP being the first AP.

Phase 3 of the Game

Phase 3 is played for a total of five (5) rounds in a 2-player game.Where there are more than 2 players, Phase 3 is played for a total ofthree (3) rounds.

Each player takes turns to write legitimate words or phrases in theavailable squares, with the objective being to score as many points aspossible.

Only words and idiomatic phrases which can be found a dictionary may beused. Numbers, dates, proper nouns, mathematical or scientific equationsor formulae may not be used.

At each turn, a player is allowed 60 seconds to write the word or phraseonto the game board.

Placement of Words or Phrases on the Game Board

Words or phrases must be written wholly within the playing area of thegame board.

Words or phrases must be oriented either horizontally from left to rightor, vertically from top to bottom to form valid words or phrases whenwritten on the game board.

Words or phrases may not be written diagonally across the board in anydirection.

Each letter or punctuation mark for a word or phrase as well as thespace or spaces between words in a phrase must occupy an individualsquare.

Words and phrases can be written across the various zones on the gameboard. At the start of a game, the first valid word or phrase to bewritten on the board must utilize Zone 1, the centre square on theboard.

Subsequent words or phrases must intersect with, or append to, one ormore words and/or phrases previously written on the board.

At each turn, a player is only permitted to write a word or phrase thatwill read in one direction. In other words, a player is not allowed towrite part of a word or phrase horizontally and continue writing theremaining part of that character string vertically or vice versa.

However, it is permissible for the newly written word to intersect orappend to an existing word(s) or phrase(s) perpendicular to it, therebymodifying such existing word(s) or phrase(s), provided that all suchmodified word(s) or phrase(s) are valid word(s) or phrase(s) which canbe found in a dictionary.

It is also permissible to append letters or words written to an existingword or phrase to form the actual word or phrase selected by the QPprovided that the respective words or phrases are in the sameorientation and line.

It is furthermore permissible to append the complete word or phraseselected by the QP to an existing word or phrase to form a new modifiedword or phrase, provided that that modified word or phrase can be foundin a dictionary and is in a single orientation and line.

Letters or punctuation marks in existing words or phrases cannot bealtered or deleted to accommodate the new word or phrase to be writtenon the board.

Blank spaces within a new phrase can intersect with blank spaces withinother existing phrases.

Section 8-Scorinq

As mentioned above, each square on the board has an individual squarevalue (SV) of 1, 2, 3, 5, 10, 15 or 25 points and the board is dividedinto 9 zones bounded by bold lines.

When a word or phrase is written onto the board, its value orword-phrase Value (PV) is computed as follows:

-   -   sum of the SV of the individual squares occupied by the word or        phrase (excluding the value of squares occupied by punctuation        marks or spaces) is multiplied by the number of zones the word        or phrase occupies in part or in whole (if a word or phrase        starts in Zone 3, then continues into Zone 2, then further        continues into Zone 1, back into Zone 2, and finally ends in        Zone 3, the total number of zones that word or phrase occupies        is deemed to be 3 zones and not 5 zones).

Section 9-Infringement of the Rules

Notwithstanding the official rules of the game, prior to the start of a“friendly” game, players may agree not to impose penalties and giverewards and compensations for infringements of the rules. In additionplayers may agree not to impose the normal time-limits applicable.

For official and competitive games, there are nine possible types ofinfringements which players should avoid during the course of the game.

Five of these types of infringements, which carry automatic penaltiesare as follows:

-   -   Failure to write the correct word or phrase onto the game board        within the permitted time limit;    -   Player answering out of turn;    -   QP passing his turn during Phase 1A, 1B, 2A or 2B of the game;    -   Player passing during Phase 3 of the game;    -   Player withdrawing a challenge.

The remaining four types of infringement, which require a successfulchallenge to be mounted before the application of penalties are asfollows:

-   -   Words or phrases not written in accordance with the rules of        placement on the board;    -   QP accepting an incorrect answer (subject to the presence of an        independent referee);    -   QP rejecting a correct answer (subject to the presence of an        independent referee);    -   Incorrect computation of scores.

Section 10-Challenges

A player may challenge another player over a suspected infringement ofthe rules of the game. The types of infringements are as listed in theSection above.

Only one player may mount a challenge at any one time. Should thatchallenge fail, no further challenge is allowed for a particularinstance of a suspected infringement. The outcome of any challenge isthat either there will be a Successful Challenger and an UnsuccessfulDefender, or an Unsuccessful Challenger and a Successful Defender.

Penalties may be imposed on the unsuccessful party and rewards orcompensations may be granted to the successful party. Refer to Table 2.1in Part IV of this Rule Book for the applicable penalties, rewards orcompensations.

There are specific time periods for the mounting of challenges and theimposition of penalties, as well as the adjustment of scores due to suchpenalties or rewards or compensations.

In the case of the QP accepting an incorrect answer or rejecting acorrect answer, a challenge may only be mounted if an independentreferee is available.

However, the AP or the other players may alert the QP to his possibleerroneous acceptance or rejection at the time it happens and, if theerror is confirmed, it is to be corrected without any penalty to the QP.

Where the QP has erroneously rejected a correct answer but this is notpointed out, and another AP in the queue or rotation subsequently givesthe same correct answer which is now accepted, the most current AP isrequired to write the word or phrase on the board and win any pointsdue. The previous AP does not win any points, and the QP is notpenalized.

Any such error must be pointed out for possible correction before anyplayer has started to write the word or phrase on the board during thatturn.

Section 11-Penalties, Rewards and Compensations

Rewards are given to successful challengers, and compensations arenormally given to successful defenders.

Rewards and compensations are usually a grant of 50 points to be addedto the overall score of the relevant player.

Penalties are in most cases imposed upon infringers, unsuccessfulchallengers and unsuccessful defenders.

Penalties may be any one or a combination of the following:

-   -   Loss of a turn;    -   Deduction of points;    -   An “indictment”.

“Loss of a turn” means the loss of the turn that the player has justtaken or is supposed to have taken. It does not mean the loss of hisnext legitimate turn. When a player loses a turn, he does not score anypoints for that turn.

The deduction of points is normally a deduction of fifty (50) pointsfrom an infringing player's score. However, when a deduction has to bemade because of a wrongful computation of the score, the deduction isequal to the number of points which exceeds the correct score for thatturn. In other words, the adjusted score is the correct score less thenumber of points which exceeds the correct score. No deduction of pointsis made if the wrongfully computed score is less than the correct scorefor that turn. In other words, the wrongfully computed score ismaintained as the infringing player's score for that turn.

Apart from the loss of a turn or the deduction of points, an infringingplayer may also be served with an “Indictment” which must be recorded onhis Score Card. Once a player has been served with a total of 3Indictments during the course of a game, he is automatically expelled or“extradited” from the game.

Section 12-Consequences of Extraditions

When a player is extradited he ceases to play any further active part init. Nevertheless, his total score up to the time of his extradition ismaintained and is used to determine his position at the end of the game.

In the event that one or more players is extradited during a game suchthat the number of active players remaining is less than three, the gamereverts to a 2-player game.

In the event that this happens during:

-   -   Phase 1A of the game, that phase immediately ceases and the game        proceeds to Phase 1B which is to be played for a total of 5        rounds. Phase 2A is not played and Phases 2B and 3 are played        for a total of 5 rounds each;    -   Phase 1B of the game, that phase continues up to a total of 5        rounds. Phase 2A is not played and Phases 2B and 3 are played        for a total of 5 rounds each;    -   Phase 2A of the game, that phase immediately ceases and the game        proceeds to Phase 2B which is now to be played for a total of 5        rounds. Phase 3 is also played for a total of 5 rounds;    -   Phase 2B of the game, that phase continues up to a total of 5        rounds. Phase 3 is also played for a total of 5 round;    -   Phase 3 of the game, that phase continues for a total of 5        rounds.

Should all but one of the players be extradited during the course of agame, that game comes to an end and the winner of the game is determined

Section 13-Suspension of Game

The game can be repeatedly suspended and resumed. It is recommended thatgames be only suspended at the end of a round.

Section 14-End of Game

The end of the game occurs when:

-   -   all the rounds of the relevant phases have been played, or    -   all but one of the players have been extradited.

The player with the highest total number of points, regardless ofwhether he has been extradited during the course of the game or not, isthe winner of the game.

Section 15-Team Game

The game may be played by teams of players or a mix of individualplayers and teams of players.

Where players form a team or teams, the Rules apply to each team as ifit was an individual player.

Team members may confer with each other. However, the action of anyindividual member of a team is deemed to be the collective action of theteam.

Section 16-Classification of Player Level

Players may be classified as beginner, intermediate or advanceddepending upon their respective level of competency.

It is strongly recommended that first-time players of the game start atthe beginner's level of competency before classifying themselves at anyof the higher levels of competency.

Whilst players with different levels of competency may play against eachother in friendly games, competitive games should preferably be confinedto players of the same level of competency.

Rules for Intermediate Level Players

During Phases 1A, 1B, 2A and 2B of the game, an intermediate player,when it is his turn to be the QP, is allowed to view only the inside ofthe playing card. Thus, he is only able to see the meanings of words orphrases and not the respective words or phrases which are printed on theback of the card.

The intermediate level QP faces the challenge of selecting a word orphrase given his restriction to the sight of the meanings of variouswords or phrases on the inside of the playing cards only.

It is possible that the QP may assume the wrong word or phrase for aparticular meaning and, as a result, wrongly reject or accept the answergiven by an AP. The AP or other players may then challenge the decisionof the QP.

The QP may refer to the words or phrases at the back of the card onlyafter he has accepted or rejected the answer given by an AP.

Rules for Advanced Level Players

During phases 1A, 1B, 2A and 2B of the game, an advanced level player,when it is his turn to be QP, is allowed to view only the back of theplaying card. Thus, he does not have sight of the respective meanings ofsuch words or phrases which are to be found on the inside of the card.

During phases 1A and 1B, the advanced level QP faces the challenge ofbeing able to adequately articulate the meaning of a selected word orphrase without having the benefit of referring to the meaning given onthe inside of the playing card or to a dictionary.

During these phases, the advanced level QP faces the additionalchallenge of stating the 3 clues required for those phases, includingthe articulation of the meaning of the selected word or phrase, within90 seconds of the start of his turn to be QP.

During phases 2A and 2B, the advanced level QP faces the challenge ofaccepting or rejecting the definition given by an AP for the selectedword or phrase without the benefit of referring to the meaning given onthe inside of the playing cards or a dictionary.

The QP may refer to the inside of the card or to a dictionary only afterhe has accepted or rejected the answer given by an AP.

Advanced players may opt not to use the playing cards to select theirpreferred word or phrase but to select a word or phrase from their ownvocabulary without reference to a dictionary.

It will be appreciated that it is not strictly necessary to use theplaying board and that the pack of cards alone may be used simply for aquestion and answer game. The invention therefore also includes a packof cards having on one side a plurality of questions and on the otherside the answers to those questions, the cards having an axis ofsymmetry about which they can be folded such that both the questions andthe answers on a card can be viewed by the player holding that card butthat one or the other of the questions and the answers is concealed fromthe other players during play, the questions and answers on eachindividual card of the pack being different from those on each othercard but relating to the same subject.

1. A board game comprising a playing board having a surface marked withan array of vertical and horizontal rows of abutting squares, eachsquare having a number marked within it and a pack of cards having onone side a plurality of questions and on the other side the answers tothose questions, the questions and answers on each individual card ofthe pack being different from those on each other card but relating tothe same subject.
 2. A board game according to claim 1, wherein thearray of squares on the board is rectangular.
 3. A board game accordingto claim 2, wherein the array of squares on the board is square.
 4. Aboard game according to claim 1, wherein the board has a wipe-cleansurface.
 5. A board game according to claim 1, wherein the board isdisposable and made of paper.
 6. A board game according to claim 1,wherein the cards having an axis of symmetry about which they can befolded such that both the questions and the answers on card can beviewed by the player holding that card but that one or the other of thequestions and the answers are concealed from the other players duringplay,
 7. A board game according to claim 1, including a word insertionguide comprising a strip of material having a length at least the widthof the playing area of the playing board and having along one edgeportion a plurality of divisions corresponding to the squares on theplaying board, said edge portion being of transparent material at leastin a strip extending the length of the guide and at least as wide as thesquares on the board and either encompassing or abutting the divisionsand having a surface that is capable of being written on andsubsequently wiped clean.
 8. (canceled)
 9. (canceled)
 10. A pack ofcards for use in aboard game according to claim 1 having on one side aplurality of questions and on the other side the answers to thosequestions, the cards having an axis of symmetry about which they can befolded such that both the questions and the answers on a card can beviewed by the player holding that card but that one or the other of thequestions and the answers is concealed from the other players duringplay, the questions and answers on each individual card of the packbeing different from those on each other card but relating to the samesubject.